Process for recovery of ingredients of oily inks.



M. S. HOPKINS & C. R. BARNETT. PROCESS FOR RECOVERY 0F INGREDIENTS 0FOILY INKS. APPLxoATIoN FILED JUNE 1, 1909.

932,470. V Patented Aug. 31. 1909.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

M. S. HOPKINS d: O. R. BARNET'I'. PROCESS EOE. RECOVERY OF INGREDIENTS0I OILY INKS. APPLIOATIoN FILED JUNI: 1, 1909.

932,470. Patented Aug. 31, 1909.

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W/TNESSES l JNVENTORS 1M* 77? www w d/EW Attorney UNITED STATES PATENToEEroE.

MATTHEW S. HOPKINS AND CHARLES R. BARNETT, 0F BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

PROCESS FOR RECOVERY OF INGREDIENTS OF OILY INKS.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, MATTHEW S. Hor- KINs and CHARLES R. BAENETT, ofBaltimore city, State of Maryland, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Processes for the Recovery of Ingredients of Oily Inks;and We do hereby declare the following to bea full, clear, and exactdescription ofthe invention, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to the recovery of the component ingredients ofoily ink, such as that contained inthe cloths used for wiping engravingplateS,-the object of the invention being to so treat the ink ladenedcloths that the ink will be-removed therefrom and so that the resultantliquor will be in Such condition that the pigment can be removedtherefrom mechanicallyk and the oil and solvent be separatelyrecoverable as such.

With this 'object in view, the invention consists in certain novel stepsin a process for the purpose stated, as hereinafter set forth andpointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a view of any apparatus, withthe use of which our improvements can be carried into effect; Fig. 2 isa sectional view of the washing machine; Fig. 3 is a sectional view ofthe condenser; Fig. 4 is a sectional view of the still, and Fi 5 is afragmentary sectional view of the ter.

It has been heretofore pro osed to remove oily ink from cloths ladeneWith the same, with the use of solvents such as naphtha but theresultant liquor has been of comparatively little value because it hasnot been found to be possible to fully separate the pigment from the oiland hence the latter (which is the most valuable constituent oftheliquor) could not be recovered ina sufficiently pure anduncontaminated condition as to render it commercially valuable.

We have discovered that if a solvent or washing liquid be used whichwill reduce the viscous quality of the oil, (which in such inks as areused on engraving plates, is a vegetable oil) the pigment will berendered filterable from such oily vehicle.. In other words, a solventmay be used for separating the ink from cloths containing the same,which will also reduce to a minimum, the anity of the oil for thepigment and therefore these in- Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed .Tune 1, 1909.

Patented Aug. 31,1909.

Serial No. 499,433.

gredients of the ink will not, in the presence of such a solvent orreagent be miscible, either mechanically or chemically. vWe have foundthat acetone is an agent possessing the qualities above mentioned ofacting as a solvent for the ink to separate it from the cloths, and alsoacting to reduce the viscous quality of the oil and thus destroy itsaffinity for the pigment. The liquor consisting of the oily ink andacetone, can therefore be filtered and all of the pigment mechanicallyseparated therefrom. The filtrate can then be distilled to separate theacetone therefrom and recover the oil freed from foreign mattei' and theacetone can then be condensed for further use.

In carrying our invention into effect, we place the cloths or othermaterial containing ink or other oily pigment, in a washing machine 1and agitate them in the presence of a material such as above described,preferably acetone.

The washing machine may consist of a motion is transmitted by a belt 9from a* pulley 10 on a line shaft 11.

After the cloths have been treated for ten minutes (more or less) withacetone or other similar solvent in thewashing machine, the resultingliquor will be discharged through a pipe 12 (having a controlling valve13) to a tank or vat 14. A pipe 15 also communicates at one end with thewashing machine and at the other end with a pump 16, the lattercommunicating by a pipe 17 with a solvent storage tank 18. A valve 19 isprovided in thepipe 17 and a similar valve 2O is provided in the pipe 15for controlling the will be run into the tank 14 as before. Thisoperation may be repeated several times if necessary.

The interior of the washing machine is connected, by a pipe 21, (havinga valve 22) with a pipe 23 which communicates with a condenser 24, andthe latter communicates through the medium of a pipe 26 with a vacuumpump 25 as hereinafter more fully explained. The vacuum pump may bedriven by belt gearing from the line shaft 11.

When the cloths have been treated with acetone solvent in the washingmachine as before explained, the heat afforded by the steam jacket ofthe machine will serve to volatilize any solvent remainingin the cloths,and by opening the valve 22, these vapors will be .drawn through thepipe 21 by the operation of the vacuum pump, and will be condensed intheir passage through the condenser 24, the resulting condensed solventnally reaching the storage tank 18, in a manner which will be explainedfarther on. The cloths may now be removed from the washing machine, andsubjected to a Washing in water if desired.

The acetone which has been used to dissolve the ink from the cloths willalso act upon the oil in suchl manner as to reduce its viscous characterand divorce the pigment therefrom, as hereinbefore ex lained, andtherefore the liquor in the ta 14 is ready for the filter press toveffect the mechanical separation and recovery of all the pigmentcontained in said li uor. he tank 14 is therefore connected y means of apipe 32 having a valve 33, with a pump 34 and the latter is connected bya pipe 35 having a valve 36 with a filter press 37. The plates of thisfilter press are provided with cham-Y bers 38 through which steam (froma steam supply pipe 39) is circulated for heating the press. A ipe 40connects the filter press with a ta 41, and with this pipe, o ne end ofa pipe 42 communicates,the other end of the pipe 42 being connected withthe pipe 23 and, through the latter, with the-condenser and vacuum pump.The pipe 40 is provided witkga valve 43, and in the pipe 42, a valve 44is located. f v

When the valves 33 and 36 are opened and the pump 34 operated the liquorcontaining the precipitate'will be caused to flow to and through thefilter ress. The pigment will be arrested by the fter press, while thefluid Will leave the filter press by the pipe 40 (the valve 43 bein openand the valve 44 closed) and enter t e tank 41. The valves 36 and 43will-now be closed and valve 44 opened. Steam will be permitted tocirculate through the filter plates and supply heat which willvolatilize any solvent which may remain with the pigment in the filterpress.

f The vacuumpump 25 willbe operated, and the volatilized solvent will bedrawn from the filter, through the pipo 40 and, affter being v condensedby passage through thecondenser,

will find its way into the storage tank 18. Thus the pigment will hedried in the filter press and any solvent which may have remained withit will be recovered. The solution containing the heavy oil now in thetank 41 will be discharged through a pipe 45 (having a valve 46) into astill 47. This still is made with a steam jacket 48 with which steampipes 49-5O communicate, and said still may also be provided with asteam coil 5 for supplying heat to drive ofi the volatile solventcontained in the Huid, and leave the only remaining ingredient of theiuid,- heavy oil,-in the bottom of the still from which it can bewithdrawn through a valved discharge pipe 52.

The vaporized solvent will escape from the still through the pipe 23 tothe condenser 24, and such passage of the vapor from the still will beaugmented by the action of the vacuum pump 25,. With the use of thevacuum ump to withdraw the vaporized solvent rom the still, less heatwill be required to vaporize thesolvent and hence the oil which remainsin the still will not be unduly darkened, as might be the case if moreexcessive ,heat were employed and the use of the vacuum ump omitted.

The condenser 24 comprises a shell having a water jacket 53 with whichcirculation pipes 54-55 communicate. The condenser also contains a drum56 having its lower end open and its upper end 57 closed. a shortdistance below the lower end of the inlet pipe 23. A water cooling coil58 may be located in the condenser around the drum 56 and I with theends of this coil, pipes 59560 communicate. The pipe 26 projectsupwardly through the bottom of the shell of the condenserandcommunicates with a pipe section 61 projecting upwardly Within thedrum 56 and terminating near the upper closed end of the latter. Anyuncondensed vapors in the condenser 24 (which has been found to beapproximately one per cent.) will find exit through the pi es 61--26 tothe vacuum pump, and wil exhaust from the latter, through a pipe 62,/toa second condenser 63. The construction of the condenser 63 may be thesame as that of the' condenser 24, and may, if desired, be provided witha safety valve 64. The lower end of the condenser 63 communicates withthe storage tank 18, through the medium of a pipe 65 having a valve 66.

The maj orportionof the condensationl of 'vaporized solvent Will occurin the, condenser l denser 24 to the solvent storage tank. 18, a

In order, therefore, to l pump 67 is employed. The bottom of thecondenser 24 is connected, by a valved pipe y 68 with the pump 67, andthe latter is connected, by a pipe 69 with the solvent storage tank 18.

Having fully described our invention what we claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters-Patent, is

1. The process consisting in washing material containing oily ink with aliquid which. serves both as a solvent to separate the' oily ink fromthe material and to render all ofthe pigment ilterable from the oilyvehicle of the ink, then ltering the liquor, thereby recovering all ofthe pigment and the oilylr vehicle, and finally separating the washingliquid from the oily vehicle.

2. The herein described process, consisting in mixing acetone with oilyink to reduce the viscosity of the oil and mechanicall divorce thepigment therefrom, mechanica ly ltering the li uor to recover thepigment, and

then treating the ,resulting li uid to recover the oil and acetone resective y.

3. The herein descri ed process consisting in treating cloths containingoily ink, with acetone, mechanically filtering the resulting liquor torecover the pigment, and then recovering the oil and acetone separately.l

In testimony whereof, we have signed this specification in the presenceof two subscribing witnesses.

MATTHEW S. HOPKINS. CHARLES R. BARNETT.

W'itnesses:

R. S. FERGUSON, E. BARNETT.

